


A broken promise

by SasuNarufan13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A bit foul language courtesy of Sirius, First HP oneshot, No slash; just friendship, Other, Set after Prisoner of Azkaban, a bit of angst, sort of open ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 20:40:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SasuNarufan13/pseuds/SasuNarufan13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus has broken a promise. He still remembers the night he made the promise and is scared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A broken promise

**Author's Note:**

> As stated in the tags, this was my first try at a Harry Potter fic. It's rather short, but I'm still kind of fond of it. I hope you'll like it despite the shortness of it :)  
> (Also English is not my first language, so even though I edited the fic, it could be that there are still some mistakes left behind, for which I apologize)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling owns it

**A broken promise**

Remus Lupin was scared. And worried. His best friend, Sirius Black, had escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban, almost a year ago. And had went straight to Hogwarts, the school of magic, to capture Peter Pettigrew. Peter was the one who had betrayed the Potters to Voldemort and had caused their deaths.

There were few people who knew the truth and who believed in Sirius' innocence. The public in general still believed Sirius guilty of the murder of the Potters and the murders of thirteen Muggle people (again, the murder of those people were Pettigrew's fault).

Remus had just accepted the post of Defense against the Dark Arts when he heard the news about Sirius. From that moment on, he was constant tensed, worried and even a little bit scared. He didn't believe that Sirius was a murderer; god, no. He even knew that Sirius wasn't planning to kill Harry Potter, like they said in the media. The newspapers only spread lies.

No, he was scared because he had broken a promise. And although Sirius was his best friend, he had very little hope that Sirius would forgive him. He hadn't just broken some promise – no, in a way, he had betrayed his best friend. He didn't want to lose Sirius; not only were he and Sirius the last true Marauders (because Peter didn't count), he was the only true friend who knew of his problems (for example: his lycanthropy) and still wanted to be by Remus' side. Not so many people wanted to be friends with a werewolf or wanted to spend time with him (not that Remus blamed them. After all: he was a monster). Well, except Dumbledore, the rest of the staff and… Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Remus smiled a little when he remembered the trio. Just like his father, Harry had accepted the fact that his former teacher, with who he had spent many nights alone to learn the Patronus charm, a werewolf was. And because their best friend wasn't scared of the werewolf, Ron and Hermione too weren't scared.

Remus' smile disappeared when he remembered Sirius and his broken promise. He remembered the night of the promise all too clear.

_Flashback_

BANG, BANG!

Remus furrowed his eyebrows and put down his book. He casted a quick glance at the old clock in the corner of the room. Just a few minutes past midnight. Who would pay him a visit this late?

He opened the door and right before him stood Sirius Black. With huge eyes.

Suddenly, Remus got a feeling that something was very wrong.

"Padfoot, what happened?" Remus asked worriedly. "Come in."

Sirius waved his hand. "No time, Moony. I just went to check on Peter, but he wasn't there! So, I rushed to Prongs and… And…" Tears began to form in his blue grey eyes.

"And what, Padfoot? What happened?" Remus began to panic. This was not good.

"There was nothing left, Moony! Voldemort has found them! James and Lily are dead! That son of a bitch Peter has betrayed us. I saw their bodies, Moony, they're really dead," Sirius cried.

Remus clapped a hand for his mouth and tears rolled down his cheeks. "No, they can't be dead. They can't be! Peter was our friend, he wouldn't betray us," Remus shook his head.

Sirius clasped his shoulders. "You better believe it, Moony. Our best friends are dead and it's all that filthy rat's fault!" he said angrily.

Just then Remus realized something. Sirius had said that James and Lily were dead. But what about their one-year-old son, Harry?

"And Harry? What happened to Harry? Is he…" he didn't dare to say it. Had Voldemort succeeded?

Sirius shook his head with a small grin. "No, that's the incredible news, Moony! He survived. Harry is still alive! Although he has now a scar on his head. From what I could guess, the curse bounced off of Harry and returned to that bastard Voldemort. That's the other news: Voldemort has disappeared. Apparently he couldn't win from a baby. How pathetic."

Remus registered the news, but right now he was only interested in one thing. "What?! Harry is still alive? How's that possible? Where is he? Do you have him? Let me see him!" Remus demanded. The wolf in him wanted to see his cub, so he could see for himself if the baby was all right.

Sirius' hands fell down and he looked pained. "I don't have him. I wanted to bring him to you, but just when I wanted to fly away on my motorcycle, Hagrid appeared. He had orders from Dumbledore to bring Harry to him. I argued and said that I'm his godfather and that I would take care of him, but in the end I had to give Harry over. I gave Hagrid my motor, so he could bring Harry safely to Dumbledore."

Remus saw a glint in Sirius' eyes. "What are you going to do now?"

Sirius looked him straight in the eye. "That's the other reason why I'm here. I want you to promise something."

Remus nodded quickly. "Anything. What do I have to promise?"

"I want you to listen very good and don't interrupt me."

"Okay."

"I'm going after Peter."

Remus opened his mouth to protest, but Sirius held his hand up.

"Ah, ah, Remus, you promised; listen first."

Very reluctantly Remus nodded.

"I'm going after Peter so that he can pay for what he did. I can't allow him to be free when he just has caused the death of my best friends. Now, if anything should go wrong or if something should happen to me, I want you to go to Dumbledore and say to him that you will raise Harry."

"But Sirius, I can't do that! You are his godfather and guardian! You should raise him. I won't be good at it. Don't get me wrong: I love Harry and I would do anything for him, but I don't think I'm the right one to raise him," Remus said sadly.

"That's bullshit, Moony! From the two of us, you're the most responsible one to take care of a child. You know you're good with kids. Hell, look at Harry. He's always happy to see you. You're his Moony. You would do a fantastic job to raise him! You can tell him stories about his parents and if you're his guardian, then maybe he won't get into too much trouble when he finally attends Hogwarts. Besides, you know James appointed you too as a guardian for his son. He wouldn't do that if he didn't trust you to be good at it. Please, Remus, please promise me that you will take care of Harry if something goes wrong with my plan," Sirius pleaded.

Remus sighed. "Fine, I promise to take care of Harry if something goes wrong. But you have to promise me you will do anything to come back to me, so you can help with raising Harry. I can only imagine the trouble we will get with Harry if he's like James."

Sirius grinned. "I promise. If I'm not back in two days, you have to go to Dumbledore to pick Harry up. I don't want Harry to be raised by strangers."

"I promise," Remus whispered and he hugged his last best friend. "Come back safely."

"You won't have time to miss me," Sirius whispered back and he hugged Remus too, before he disappeared with a crack.

Remus sighed again and closed the door. For now, he only had to wait and hope.

The next morning Remus read in the newspaper that Sirius was accused of the murder on the Potters, thirteen Muggle people and Peter Pettigrew. Peter had shouted in the street that it was all Sirius' fault and Sirius had blown the street up. Moments later the Ministry arrived and took Sirius away.

Another day later the newspapers reported that Sirius Black was put in Azkaban for life.

Remus wiped his tears away and went to go see Dumbledore to fulfill his promise to his best friend. When he got there, he was told that Harry was by relatives who would look after him. Apparently the sacrifice of Lily had given Harry a protection that only would last if he stayed with blood relatives. Remus tried to reason with his former Headmaster and even suggested to move into a house that was warded with various protection spells and in the direct reach of the Headmaster. Nothing worked. Remus didn't get Harry. He couldn't even testify for Sirius in a trial, because he was a werewolf.

So he gave up. He didn't get Harry and he couldn't help his best friend. He didn't even go to see Harry in all those years, because Dumbledore hadn't thought it to be a wise idea. People with bad intentions could follow him and Harry wouldn't be safe anymore.

_End flashback_

Remus startled out of his memories when he heard the door to the bathroom open. Sirius had fled again and was currently staying with Remus in his small cottage. He had landed with the hippogriff in the garden and had gone straight to the bathroom to take a bath after all those years. But the look he sent at Remus didn't promise something good. Nor did the letter he had sent to Remus a few hours before he had landed in the garden.

_Remus_

_I have spoken to Harry and something wasn't right. You and I have to talk, my dear friend, because it seems as if something has gone wrong after I went to that god forsaken hell hole. I need answers and you're the only one who can answer them._

_Sirius_

Remus tensed when he heard the footsteps coming to his room.

Sirius leaned against the open door and looked with furious glittering eyes at him. "Now, why don't we start with our little talk, hmm?" he said in a dangerous soft voice.

Remus gulped and didn't dare to look at him. These were going to be worst hours he would ever experience.


End file.
